DRIP! DROP!

Super-simple text and cartoon-like illustrations explain the water cycle in this surprisingly informative, easy-science title for the picture-book set. JoJo, a cocoa-colored moppet, explains the whole thing to her grumpy dog, Willy. The author uses dialogue balloons to show Jojo’s explanations as well as Willy’s somewhat cynical thoughts. The rest of the explanation appears in short sentences in the clouds. The illustrator follows the text, providing visual information while adding a dash of humor: sun heats the water and the water evaporates and travels as water vapor into the sky; the cold air in the sky causes the vapor to fall as tiny water drops. The tiny drops soak into the ground and flow back to streams and rivers and back to the ocean. Jojo and her dog go rowing in a sink in a yellow slicker, play with a hose, visit the firehouse, a ride a hot-air balloon to see the water move from the reservoir to the water-purification plant and finally to the apartment building. One quibble: the text makes it seem as though scientists taste the water before they take out minerals and add chemicals to kill bacteria, which seems unlikely. The illustrator uses simple shapes outlined in black, bold, flat colors, and lively, expressive characters created with an economy of line. The author concludes with simple experiments to try at home. For children too young for Miss Frizzle, this is a good introduction to the water cycle. (Picture book/nonfiction. 4-8)